This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning lighting systems.
Lighting systems in the prior art are typically formed by interconnecting, via a communications system, a plurality of lighting fixtures and providing for operator control of the plurality of lighting fixtures from a central controller. Such lighting systems may contain multiparameter light fixtures, which illustratively are light fixtures having two or more individually remotely adjustable parameters such as focus, color, image, position, or other light characteristics. Multiparameter light fixtures are widely used in the lighting industry because they facilitate significant reductions in overall lighting system size and permit dynamic changes to the final lighting effect. Applications and events in which multiparameter light fixtures are used to great advantage include showrooms, television lighting, stage lighting, architectural lighting, live concerts, and theme parks. Illustrative multi-parameter light devices are described in the product brochure entitled xe2x80x9cThe High End Systems Product Line 2001xe2x80x9d and are available from High End Systems, Inc. of Austin, Tex.
A variety of different types of multiparameter light fixtures are available. One type of advanced multiparameter light fixture which is referred to herein as an image projection lighting device (xe2x80x9cIPLDxe2x80x9d) uses a light valve to project images onto a stage or other projection surface. A light valve, which is also known as an image gate, is a device for example such as a digital micro-mirror (xe2x80x9cDMDxe2x80x9d) or a liquid crystal display (xe2x80x9cLCDxe2x80x9d) that forms the image that is projected. Either a transmissive or a reflective type light valve may be used. U.S. Pat. No. 6,057,958, issued May 2, 2000 to Hunt, incorporated herein by reference, discloses a pixel based gobo record control format for storing gobo images in the memory of a light fixture. The gobo images can be recalled and modified from commands sent by a control console. A pixel based gobo image is a gobo (or a projection pattern) created by a light valve like a video projection of sorts. U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,868, issued Nov. 3, 1998 to Hutton, incorporated by reference herein, discloses storing video frames as cues locally in a lamp, and supplying them as directed to the image gate to produce animated and real-time imaging. A single frame can also be manipulated through processing to produce multiple variations. Alternatively, a video communication link can be employed to supply continuous video from a remote source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,485, issued Oct. 27, 1998 to Hewlett, incorporated herein by reference, discloses the use of a camera with a digital micro mirror equipped light fixture for the purpose of following the shape of the performer and illuminating the performer using a shape that adaptively follows the performer""s image. A camera capturing the image (such as a digital camera, which captures an image at least in part by storing digital data in computer memory, the digital data defining or describing the image) preferably is located at the lamp illuminating the scene in order to avoid parallax. The image can be manually investigated at each lamp or downloaded to some central processor for this purpose.
IPLDs of the prior art use light from a projection lamp that is sent though a light valve and focused by an output lens to project images on a stage or a projection surface. The light cast upon the stage by the IPLD is then imaged by the camera. U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,093 to Perry titled xe2x80x9cMethod and device for creating the facsimile of an imagexe2x80x9d, incorporated herein by reference, describes a camera that may be an infrared camera for use with a described lighting device that uses liquid crystal light valves to project an image. xe2x80x9cAccordingly the camera and light are mounted together for articulation about x, y, and z axes as is illustrated in FIG. 1xe2x80x9d (Perry, U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,093, col. 4, line 59).
The prior art patent to Perry, U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,093 makes use of a camera to distinguish an object in the camera""s field from other objects. The distinguished object as imaged by the camera is then illuminated by the projected light passing through the light valves so as to only illuminate the distinguished object. The object xe2x80x9cobjectsxe2x80x9d was mentioned in the Perry patent may be provided with an infrared emitter or reflector which interacts with a receiver or camera. The Perry prior art patent describes its invention as a camera/light unit.
In their common application, IPLDs are used to project their images upon a stage or other projection surface. The control of the IPLDs is affected by an operator using a central controller. In a given application, a plurality of IPLDs are used to illuminate the projection surface, with each IPLD having many parameters that may be adjusted by a central controller to create a scene. Once a scene is constructed, the operator of the central controller can adjust the parameters of the many IPLDs in order to construct a new scene. The work of adjusting or programming the parameters to the desired values for the many IPLDs to create a scene can take quite some time.
IPLDs used in an entertainment lighting system can produce many colorful images upon the stage or projection surface. IPLDs may project images onto the projection surface such as still images, video images and graphic images. The term xe2x80x9ccontentxe2x80x9d is a general term that refers to various types of creative works, including image-type works and audio works. The prior art content is typically comprised of still images, video images or loops and computer graphical images. There is always a need for more types of content that can be produced quickly or live and inexpensively and that can be continuously varied as to its final look on the projection surface.
Video feed back as a phenomena and an art form has been studied by many individuals for many years. In the simplest form a video camera is set up perpendicular to a video monitor screen with the purpose of capturing the image of the video monitor screen. The captured video signal from the camera imaging the video monitor screen is continuously fed into the video monitor to create a feedback loop. In order to induce the desired graphical feedback effects the camera is rotated on its axis or in some situations the monitor is turned on its side. In this way the image that is sent from the camera to the monitor during each loop is at a different rotational angle than the previous image. A explanation of the prior art of video feedback can be found in Physical Review E, Volume 64, Number 4, April 2000 titled xe2x80x9cFarey Sequences of spatiotemporal in video feedbackxe2x80x9d by Baptiste Essevaz-Roulet and is incorporated herein for reference.
The present invention in a first embodiment provides an image projection lighting device which projects a first projected image onto a projection surface. The image projection lighting device typically includes an integral camera which captures a first captured image of at least a portion of the first projected image on the projection surface. The image projection lighting device may rotate the first captured image to form a second projected image. The second projected image may be projected onto the projection surface at a different rotational angle than the first image.
The first captured image may be electronically rotated by an image control system to create a second projected image. The rotation of the first captured image is used to create and vary live video feedback art on the projection surface as projected by the image projection lighting device.
The present invention in a second embodiment provides a lighting system which includes a first image projection lighting device with an integral camera which creates a live video feedback on a projection surface by using the first embodiment while transmitting the content of the live video feedback to a second image projection lighting device for projection on a projection surface.
In a third embodiment a scene stored in a memory of a central controller in a lighting system is retrieved from the memory. The scene causes one or more commands to be sent over a communication system to produce a particular video feedback.
In one or more embodiments a method is provided which typically includes electronically rotating a first captured image of a first projected image to form a second projected image. The first and second projected images are projected by an image projection lighting device that typically includes an integrated camera. The integrated camera is used to produce video feedback art on a projection surface. The method may be further comprised of capturing an image of the projection surface. The image may be captured by a camera integrated with an image projection lighting device. The first captured image of the projection surface is established by a camera field of the camera. The camera field of the camera can be located to capture images of the projected images on the projection surface as established by the projection field. Next the first captured image can be rotated in a desired manner to create the desired video feedback art that is projected, as a second projected image, for example, upon the projection surface. The IPLDs of one or more embodiments of the present invention can be controlled by an operator of a central controller over a communications system by first addressing a first IPLD of a plurality of IPLDs to be controlled. Next the operator of the central controller can cause the central controller to send one or more commands or command signals, commanding a first IPLD camera of the first IPLD to capture images of a current projection field. Next, the operator of the central controller can cause one or more commands or command signals to be sent, which cause the first IPLD to electronically rotate a current projected image upon a projection surface, to form a revised projected image, in a repeating loop, until the desired video feedback art, or desired projected image, is produced.
The command settings as commanded by the operator of the central controller when controlling the first IPLD can be recorded by the central controller and later recalled as a scene during a show to reproduce the desired video feedback or a series of desired projection images. A plurality of IPLDs can independently create video feedback art, or a series of desired projection images, upon the projection surface. As described in my pending application Ser. No. 10/090,926 titled xe2x80x9cMethod, apparatus and system for image projection lightingxe2x80x9d filed Mar. 4, 2002, incorporated herein by reference, image content created by one IPLD camera can be transmitted, such as in the form of digital data to another IPLD for projection by sending the image content over a communication system between the IPLDs.
A performer may be located on a stage in front of the projection surface. A camera of a particular IPLD may capture an image of a projected image on the projection surface as projected by the IPLD with the performer located in a camera field of the camera between the IPLD and the projected image.
In this way the performer""s image can also be captured by the camera. The performer""s image can be incorporated into the video feedback art produced by the IPLD of the invention. It is also possible to mix content (such as video stills or animation) into the feedback art. The content as provided by memory of the IPLD or the content as provided over the communications system as received by the communications port of the IPLD may be simultaneously projected along with the video feedback art by an IPLD in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. This produces a video feedback art, or series of projected images, that incorporates the content into the video feedback loop producing even more creative video feedback art.
Rotation of a camera image taken by a camera of an IPLD, even without consideration to video feedback, is a further novel aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention.